Slicing machine



Sept. 12, 1944. J. FOLK T SLICING MACHINE Filed Aug.-30, 1943 2Sheets-Sheet l 24+ bzaerz Ivll I IH WTL LIN" Sept. 12, 1944. J. FOLKSLICINGMACHINE Filed Aug. 30, '1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f/206mb? JOSQQi[07/2 %I Patented Sept. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE corporationof Indiana Application August 30, 1943, Serial No. 500,521

8 Claims,

This invention relates to slicing machines and particularly to a slicingmachine having a rotary slicing knife, and a gauge plate for determiningthe thickness of slices of substance-to be cut, which is adjustablesimultaneously both obliquely and perpendicularly in relation to thecutting plane of the slicing knife.

An object of this invention is to provide a slicing machine in which agauge plate is mounted on a slide member for movement to variouspositions of adjustment in planes parallel to the cutting plane of theslicing knife, and the slide member is arranged for movement in anangular direction in relation to the cutting plane of the slicing knife.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slicing machineemploying a rotary slicing knife and an adjustable gauge plate in whichthe gauge plate is adjustable to a position in the cutting plane of theknife and planes parallel thereto, and the application of power to theslicing knife and the adjustment of the gauge plate are controlled by acommon control member, and the operation of the control of theapplication of power to theknife is possible only when the gauge plateis positioned in alignment with the cutting plane of the knife.

A further object of the invention is to provide means in a slicingmachine having an adjustable gauge plate and a rotary slicing knife, forindicating the thickness of a slice to be cut according to the positionof adjustment of the gauge plate and the kind of substance to be sliced.

This invention further resides in the combination, construction andarrangement of .parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andwhile there is shown therein preferred embodiments of the invention, itis to be understood that the same are susceptible of modification andchange without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a se lected embodiment of theinvention, and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section alone the line 22 of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section along the line 3-3 of.Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section along the line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of certain parts of the machineshown in Fig. 2.

The particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawingsand generally designated by the numeral 6 comprises a base I, a motor 8mounted on the base and operatively I connected with a shaft 9,rotatably mounted in a support 10 secured on the base I. A gauge plateII is slidably mounted on the base I in adjustable spaced relation witha rotary slicing knife l2 which is fixedly mounted on the shaft 9.

' The gauge plate I I is fixedly mounted on one end of a carriage orslide member Hi. The slide member I3 is in the form of a parallelogram.and of dovetail cross-sectional configuration; and is arranged betweenopposed, parallel guides l4 and I5 for sliding obliquely on the top l6of the base I. To this end the guides l4 and I5 are secured to the topHi by means of screws 11 and disposed angularly in relation to the topso as to conform with the adjacent sides of the member IS.

The member l3 and the gauge plate H are movable in relation to the baselandthe knife.

l2 by means of a manually-operable knob l8 which is fixedly mounted uponone end of a shaft l9. The opposite end of the shaft I9 is adapted to bereceived in a bore at one end of a generally tubular member 20 inreleasable interlocking engagement therewith, a pin 2| being provided onthe shaft l9 and adapted to be re' ceived in a slot 22 in the member 20for this purpose. The opposite end of the member 20 is providedwith ajournal portion 20-a. The

journal 2ll-a and the portion of the shaft l9 adjacent the knob l8 aremounted in bearings 23 and 24, respectively, provided interiorly of thebase I; the bearing 23 being mounted on theunderside of the top l6 andthe bearing 24 being mounted in the bore of a boss 24b provided in aside wall of the base and secured therein by means of a set screw 24-11,1

The member 20 has an externally toothed por-' tion 20-1) the teeth 2llcof which are elongated for a purpose hereinafter to be mentioned, andarranged to mesh with the teeth 25-11 of a rack 25 which is secured bymeans of setscrews 26 to the underside of the slide member !3. The topIt is slotted as indicated at lB-a in Fig. 2

to provide for travel of the rack 25. The rack 25 is arrangedperpendicularly in relation to the gauge plate H. The'arrangement issuch that upon the shaft [9 being interlocked with the. member 20 andthe knob 18 being rotated, the

member l3 and the gauge plate will be moved in relation to the base 1and the knife l2 according to the direction of rotation of the knob l8.As the member 13 is disposed obliquely with respect to the top l6 andthe gauge plate H, and

the rack 25 is arranged perpendicularly in relation to the gauge plateII, the rack 25 will travel longitudinally in relation to the axis ofthe shaft I9 upon rotation of the shaft, making necessary the provisionof elongated teeth on the member 20.

It will be readily understood that upon adjustment of the'position ofthe gauge plate II by turning the knob I8, the shaft I9 being in lookingengagement with the member 28, the gauge plate will be displaced inrelation to the cutting plane of the knife I2 in two directions, thatis, perpendicularly to the cuttingplane of the knife and obliquelythereto, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. r I

It is desirable in a slicing machine of the kind described to have a.convenient indication of the position of the gauge plate in relation tothe cutting plane of the knife and the corresponding thickness ofsubstance to be cut, especially with reference to particularsubstance.In order to provide such an indication the present invention includes anindicating device which upon the upper front portion of the base of themachine. This indicating'device is operatively connected with the meansfor adjusting the position of the gauge plate by means which includesrack teeth 21 which are provided on the front edge of the member I3 formeshing with a gear segment 28 which is rotatably mounted on a stubshaft 29 and p The stub shaft 29 may be in the form of a screw arrangedin a conveniently disposed threaded opening in the top I6. A cutawayportion I 4-a is provided in the guide I4 for receiving the gear segment28. The pointer 38 is preferably arranged in association with agraduated translucent scale or dial plate 3I. Theplate 3I may besecured, as by means of screws 32, upon a cover 33, which preferablyextends over the entire top I6. The dial plate 3 I may be provided withgraduations to show the thickness of the slice to be cut and suggestedthicknesses of slices forvarious substances. An electric light (notshown) may be provided to illuminate the indicating device and reflectthe thickness of slice to be cut by projecting the shadow of thepointer'upon the translucent dial plate. r

In addition to regulating the thickness of slices the knob I8 may beutilized to control the application of power to the knife I2. This maybe accomplished by means of a sleeve 34 secured on the shaft I9intermediately of the member and the bearing 24, as by means ofa setscrew 34-b. The sleeve 34 is provided with an annular groove 34-11adapted to receive one end of a crank 35. The crank 35 is pivotallymounted at 35-a upon a bracket 36 supported on the base I and hasitsopposite end operatively connected with an electric switch 31, whichis operatively connected with the motor 8. The arrangement of theseparts is such that upon movement of the shaft I9 a predetermineddistance longitudinally in relation to its axis, the crank 35 willoperate to throw the switch 31 from off position to on position andvice-versa according'to the direction of movement ofthe shaft I9.

In order that the cutting edge of the slicing knife be guarded toavoidaccidental cutting of the hands of the operator when the machine isbeing loaded, unloaded or cleaned, and the knife is not being operated,the switch control mechanism is arranged so that the switch maybe thrownto foif position only when the gauge carries a pointer 30.

plate is atzero position that is, in substantial is mounted top of theposition of the alignment with the knife. For this purpose the shaft I9is provided with a second pin 38 which is arranged in spaced relationwith the pin 2I and so as to abut the inner end of the bearing 24 whenthe pin 2I is within the slot 22 (see Fig. 2) and to be received in aslot 39 extending longitudinally of the bearing 24 from its inner endupon outward movement of the shaft. The pin 38 and slot 39 are sodisposed that the slot 39 will be in position to receive the pin 38 onlywhen the gauge plate is in zero position as above stated.

A coil spring 40 is arranged Within the hollow portion of the member 28intermediate the inner end of the shaft I9 and the journaled end of themember 28-so as to operate to move the shaft I9 outwardly when the pin38 is in position to be received in the slot 39. The length of the slots22 and 39, the position of the sleeve 34 on the shaft I9, and the throwof the switch 3'! are so correlated that when the shaft is movedoutwardly by operation of the spring 40 the pin 2| will be withdrawnfrom the slot 22, the pin 38 will be received in the slot 39, and theswitch 31 will be thrown from on to ofi" position. The shaft I9 and theswitch 31 will thereafter remain locked in their respective positionsuntil upon inward movement of the shaft I9, as by pressing the knob I8,the pin 38 is withdrawn from the slot 39 and the switch 31 thrown to onposition, when the knob I8 may be rotated to adjust the gauge plate andlock, the switch in on position.

Changes may bemade in the form, construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the rightis hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within thescope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A slicing machine comprising a base, a rotary slicing knife fixedlymounted on said base, motive means operatively connected with saidknife, means for controlling the operation of said motive means, agaugeplate movablymounted on said base in adjustable spaced relation withsaid knife, means for controlling the adjustment of the position of saidgauge plate, and means operatively connected with the means forcontrolling the adjustment of theposition of the gauge plate and themeans for controlling the operation of the motive means whereby toprevent operation of the means for controlling the operation of themotive means except when the gauge plate is in a predetermined positionof adjustment.

2. A slicing machine comprising a base, a rotary slicing knife fixedlymounted on said base, motive means operatively connected with saidknife, means for controlling the operation of said motive means, a gaugeplate, a member movably mounted on said'base for supporting said gaugeplate in adjustable spaced relation knife, manually operable meansmounted on said base and operatively connected with said member formoving said member in relation to said base, and means operativelyconnected with the means for controlling the operation of the motivemeans and said manually operable means for preventing operation of themeans'for con-. trolling operation of the motive means except when thegauge plate is in a predetermined position of adjustment.

3. A slicing machine comprising a base, a rotary slicing knife-fixedlymounted on said base, motive means operatively connected with said Withsaid knife,

' knife, manually operable means mounted on said base and operativelyconnected with said member for moving said member in relation to saidbase, said manually operable means comprising a rack fixedly mounted onsaid member and agear rotatably mounted on said base in cooperativerelation with said rack, said rack and gear being so arranged andconformed that upon operation of said gear said gauge plate will betranslated in relation to the cutting plane means operatively connectedwith the means for controlling the operation of the motive means andsaid manually operable means for preventing operation of the means forcontrolling opera-.

tion of the motive means except when the gauge plate is in apredetermined position of adjustment.

4. A slicing machine comprising a base, a rotary slicing knife fixedlymounted on said base, motive means operatively connected with saidknife, means for controlling the operation of said motive means, a gaugeplate movably mounted on said base in adjustable spaced relation withsaid knife, said gauge plate being arranged for adjustment of itsposition in relation to the cutting plane of said the adjustment of theposition of said gauge plate, means operatively connected with the meansfor controlling the adjustment of the position of the gauge plate andthe means for controlling the operation of the motive means whereby toprevent operation of the means for controlling the operation of themotive means except when the gauge plate is in a predetermined positionof adjustment, and means operatively connected with said gauge plate forindicating its position in relation to said knife.

5. A slicing machine comprising a base, a rotary slicing knife fixedlymounted on. said base, motive means operatively connected with saidknife, means for controlling the operation of said motive means, a gaugeplate movably mounted on said base in adjustable spaced relation withsaid knife, said gauge, plate being arranged for adjustment of itsposition in relation to the cutting plane of said knife, and means forcontrolling the adjustment of the position of said gauge plate, saidlast mentioned means being operatively interconnected with said meansfor controlling the operation of the motive means whereby operation ofthe means for controlling the operation of the motive means will beprevented except when the gauge plate is in a predetermined position inrelation to the cutting knife.

6. A slicing machine comprising a base, a rotary slicing knife fixedlymounted on said base, motive means operatively connected with said meansfor controlling the operation of said motive means, a gauge platemovably mounted on plane of the of said knife, and

knife, means for controlling of said motive means, a gauge terconnectedwith said means said base in adjustable spaced relation with said knife,said gauge plate being arranged for adjustment of its position inrelation to the cutting planelof said knife, means for controlling theadjustment of the position of said gauge plate, said last mentionedmeans being operatively infor controlling the operation of the motivemeans whereby operation of the means for controlling the operation ofthe motive means will be prevented except when the gauge plate is in apredetermined position in'relation to the cutting planeof the knife, andmeans operatively connected with the means for controlling theadjustment of the position of the gauge plate for indicating thethickness of a slice of substance to be cut for a selected position ofadjustment of the gauge plate.

'7. A slicing machine comprising a base, a rotary slicing knife fixedlymounted on said base, motive means operatively connected with saidknife, means for controlling the operation plate movably mounted on saidbase in adjustable spaced relation with said knife, said gauge platebeing arranged for adjustment of its position in rela tion to thecutting plane of said knife, means for controlling the adjustment of theposition of said gauge plate, means operatively connected with the meansfor controlling the adjustment of the position of the gauge plate andthe means for controlling the operation of the motive means where-by toprevent operation of the means for controlling the operation of themotive means except when the gauge plate is in a predetermined positionof adjustment, and means operatively connected with the means forcontrollin the adjustment of the position of the gauge plate forindicating a selectedthickness of slice of substance to be cut wherebythe position of the gauge plate in relation to the cutting plane of theknife may be adjusted to provide for the cutting of a slice ofsubstanceof a selected thicknected with the "means for controlling theadjustment of the position of the gauge plate and the means forcontrolling the operation of the motive means whereby to preventoperation of the means for controlling the operation of the motive meansexcept when the gauge plate is in a predetermined position ofadjustment.

JOSEPH FOLK.

